


Misery

by tveckling



Category: Romeo And Juliet - All Media Types
Genre: (hence the warning), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Mercutio is dead, Tybalt doesn't die (for now at least)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-10-24 15:58:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10744971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tveckling/pseuds/tveckling
Summary: Written for the prompt: "quiet me, benvolio and romeo after mercutio's death?"





	Misery

Benvolio didn’t know what to do as Romeo clung to Mercutio’s hand. He felt numb, like the grief hadn’t managed to quite hit him yet, and even though the tears were running down his face he didn’t really notice. His focus kept shifting between Mercutio’s slack face and Romeo’s hunched back, and it wasn’t hard to realize Romeo had been hit by their friend’s death in a different way then Benvolio. The way he was crying, agony etched into every line of his body, made Benvolio stand up and walk over to him. 

His hand hadn’t yet made a connection with Romeo’s shoulder before Romeo jumped up to his feet and looked around with wild eyes, clutching his sword with shaking hands. 

“Where is he? Where is Tybalt?” he shouted, each word louder than the last. Benvolio wasn’t the only one taken aback by the rage in his voice, and all around them were shocked and stricken faces. 

A movement in the corner of his eye caught Benvolio’s attention, and his heart jumped into his throat as he saw a pale-faced Tybalt stagger towards them. Romeo had seen the movement too, and he pulled his sword with a wordless shout of hate. 

The moment Romeo ran forward Benvolio moved too, and their collision brought them both to the ground in a heap. Romeo bared his teeth and tried to shove Benvolio aside, but Benvolio threw himself over his cousin and refused to budge. 

“Please, please, please, come to your senses! Romeo, don’t do this!” he said quickly, desperately trying to catch Romeo’s eyes. 

“He killed Mercutio! Mercutio is dead because of him; he needs to die!” Romeo shouted, struggling even more. 

“Don’t you think I know that?” Benvolio’s scream managed to freeze Romeo, and as Romeo stared with wide eyes Benvolio tried to get past the lump in his throat. “I know. I was there, I saw it all, even more clearly than you. I saw _exactly_ how it happened. And whether it was an accident or not, his was the hand that… that did it. I know. But _you_ do not have the right to punish him for it. It’s the Prince’s right. He’s- he _was_ Mercutio’s uncle, after all.” Benvolio took a deep breath and wiped his face quickly with a trembling hand. “Please, Romeo. You will never recover if you do this. Mercutio wouldn’t want you to ruin yourself to avenge him, when it’s not even your place to do so.”

Romeo looked up at him, but he was saved from having to make a decision when there was a flurry of movements and the city guards came into view, followed by the Prince and his personal guard. 

“What happened here?” Escalus roared, glaring at everyone gathered. “I see Capulet and Montague colors. Did I not tell you that if I saw-” His voice broke off and even from where he clung to Romeo Benvolio could see his eyes widening. He quickly jumped down from his horse and walked over to where Mercutio lied, getting down on a knee and reaching out a hand to touch Mercutio’s face. 

“What happened here?”

The pain in the Prince’s voice was too much to bear, and Benvolio closed his eyes. It didn’t help against the agony in his chest, but the hand he pressed against his mouth helped to at least muffle his sobs. Next to him Romeo shifted, standing up. His sword was left on the ground. 

“A tragedy unlike anything I have ever experienced,” Romeo said with a soft voice. “I can explain what happened. All of it.”


End file.
